Air-valve for radiators.



s. SMITH.

AIR VALVE FORRADiATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 10, 1911.

1,051,970. Patented Feb. 4, 1913.

nu uw 1N VENTUR.

ffiaddcw 857772272 THADDEUS S. SMITH, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

AIR-VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4,1913.

Application filed April 10, 1911. Serial No. 620,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THADDEUS S. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county ofMarion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Air-Valvefor Radiators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to valves for use in connection with hot waterand steam radiators, one of the objects of the invention being toprovide a simple form of valve which can be readily attached to aradiator and which, while permitting air to escape freely, will preventsteam and water from leaving the radiator by way of the valve.

A further object is to provide a valve of this type which is free ofadjusting screws and which cannot be tampered with or adjusted withoutremoving certain of the parts.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the structureconstituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewthereof. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 4is a top plan view with the cap removed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates thebody or casing of the device which is closed at the bottom, there beingan aperture 2 formed within the center of a top plate 3 which serves toclose the upper end of the casing and is located at a point removed fromthe upper extremity thereof. The aperture 2 has a vent tube 4 seatedtherein and extending downwardly into the casing, said tube being openat both ends and having its lower end tapered. A bell or float 5 ismounted loosely within the casing 1 and has a pad 6 of cork or otherbuoyant material upon its upper end and ar' ranged within the tubularcasing 7. This casing extends around the lower end of the vent tube 4and the pad 6 is normally spaced from the lower end of the tube 4. Theinternal diameter of the casing 7 is slightly greater than the externaldiameter of the tube 4 so that air is free to circulate between themunder normal conditions.

An exteriorly screw threaded nipple 8 extends from the casing 1 at apoint below the upper end of the bell 5 and has an orifice 9 thereinopening into the casing l. A screw cap 11 det-achably engages the upperend of casing 1 and a compartment 12 is thus formed between the topplate 3 and the cap 11, the tube 4 opening into this receptacle.Apertures 10 are formed within the cap 11 and constitute outlets for airdischarged into the compartment 12.

A pin 13 extends into the lower portion of the casing 1 and through aslot 14 formed longitudinally within the lower portion of the bell 5.

It will be apparent that when pressure is directed into the radiatorcold air will first pass upwardly between the wall of the casing 1 andthe bell 5 and will flow between the casing 7 and the vent 4 and thenceinto the compartment 12 from which it will escape into the externalatmosphere by way of openings 10. As water finally enters the casing 1it will gradually rise until it reaches the level indicated by the lineX-Y Fig. 3. As the water thus rises the air trapped within the bell 5will be gradually compressed and will finally elevate the bell so as tobring the pad 6 against the lower end of the vent 4, thus cutting offthe further escape of air and consequently the escape of water from thecasing. Should steam, instead of water, be directed into the casing 1,it will heat the air confined within the hell 5 and cause it to expand,the bell thus moving upwardly until the vent 4 is closed by the pad 6.Should any water be carried through the vent 4 by the escaping air, itwill be deflected by the cap 11 and will remain within the compartment12 which thus acts as a drip cup. As the bell 5 moves upwardly anddownwardly within the casing 1 it is held against rotation by pin 13.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described including a casinghaving an inlet between the upper and lower ends thereof, there being acompartment within the upper end of the casing, an apertured capconstituting the closure of the compartment, a vent tube extendingthrough the bottom of the compartment and projecting above and belowsaid bottom, the lower end of the tube being tapered, a bell looselymounted within the casing and having a longitudinal slot in the lowerend thereof, means extending from the casing and into the slot forholding the bell against rotation relative to the vent tube and to thecasing, a casing upstanding from the bell and extending around andslidable on the vent tube, and a pad within the bottom portion of thelast named casing and constituting means for sealing the lower end ofthe vent tube when the bell is elevated.

2. A device of the class described including a casing having an inletbetween the up per and lower ends thereof, there being a compartmentwithin the upper end of the casing, a closure for said compartment, saidclosure having an aperture, a vent tube extending through the bottom ofthe compartment and above the below said bottom, a

bell fitted loosely within the casing and open at the bottom, therebeing a slot within the lower end portion of the bell, a pin extendingfrom the casing and into the slot, said pin constituting means forsupport ing the bell out of contact with the bottom of the casing andfor holding the bell against rotation, a casing upstanding from andmovable with the bell, said casing extending around and being adapted toslide on the vent tube, and a pad seated within said casing and adapted,when the bell is raised, to engage and seal the lower end of the venttube.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as new, I have hereto aiiixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

THADDEUS S. SMITH.

/Vitnesses:

JOHN Bnownnn, FREEMAN B. BANsoM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

